


Literary Discussions

by electricsunrise



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: (kinda), Argue-Flirting, Bickering, Established Relationship, Flirting, Kissing, M/M, Non-Linear Narrative, as is typical of Cardassian Romance, brief discussion of One Thousand and One Nights, dialogue is kinda clanky tbh, i am a complete idiot so if I get anything wrong please let me know, i tried rip, mostly flashback convo weaved in, the perfect dinner date honestly, these two are just staying up till the hour of the wolf flirting with each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:28:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28473168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/electricsunrise/pseuds/electricsunrise
Summary: Where Garak and Julian stay up all night bickering about literature, as is their usual M.O."It's a classic!" Julian said, "You'll be sure to enjoy this one!" He beamed. "The themes contained within should be well adjusted to your tastes.""We shall see, my dear. If I may be frank, I've found that most of your previous selections have left much to be desired.""Now you're just being cruel. Just read it, you'll like it. I guarantee it."
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18
Collections: To Boldly Gift: Fics 2020





	Literary Discussions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sapphose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphose/gifts).



> Prompt: _"I really like Julian and Garak argue-flirting with each other! Otherwise, I'll like anything."_

It was late at night. Most of the station was well asleep by now, with only the quiet thrum of the power coils still alive, still flowing through the evening air. All was silent, all was dark, but for the plots and nefarious schemes of the 'extralegal' nightlife that swelled within. Well. That, and two bickering lovers. Garak and Bashir had stayed up well into the night arguing in yet another one of their literary discussions. The conversation began in the promenade, with Garak nitpicking at how _"You always eat as if you're going to starve, my dear. There's no need to worry, I won't snatch it away from your plate."_

He seemed to share that same concern _every_ single time they ate together, and every single time, without fail, Julian would continue to scarf down his food as though the words had slipped in one ear out the other. The habits of a frenzied, once medical student, now medical _officer,_ never went away, apparently, no matter how many times he would speak otherwise.

From food, Garak immediately set in on the isolinear rod Julian gifted him the last time they met, one containing the myriad tales of _One Thousand and One Nights_. _"It's a classic!"_ Julian said, _"You'll be sure to enjoy this one!"_ He smiled winningly. _"The themes contained within should be well adjusted to your tastes."_

_"We shall see, my dear."_ Garak chuckled. _"If I may be frank, I've found that most of your previous selections have left much to be desired."_

_"Now you're just being cruel. Just read it, you'll like it. I guarantee it."_

_"Ever the assured one, aren't you? I can recall you predicting such before; you've yet to prove me wrong, my dear doctor."_

Julian could recall the conversation as if it were yesterday; it became even fresher in his mind when, just as before, Garak was contrary to the last, as he always was in their discussions. He listed plot holes of all sorts, dissected every character flaw as though they were but ants under a microscope, was endlessly critical, and apparently could not find a single thing to enjoy about it.

To Julian, he might as well have given it his stamp of approval; Garak was always especially thorough in his criticisms of works he _especially_ enjoyed.

Of course, Julian couldn't let it stand, he had to defend his selection, had to have his piece to say. _One Thousand and One Nights_ was a mainstay in Middle Eastern culture, after all, was well-known throughout Earth for centuries on end- he could not simply leave it be. So, obviously, they continued their 'discussion' from the promenade, sniping at each other back and forth as they walked to Garak's quarters. Time was suddenly irrelevant, all that the two of them were aware of was the conversation, and each other. The rest of the world might as well have not even existed.

As they sat across each other, Garak wore his typical disarming smile, and Julian gazed at him with his typical gaze, bright eyed, and filled with interest. Love was thick in the air between them- it hovered closely, woven into their every word, and with every barb, they tasted it, drank it in as though it were a fine wine. Or a well-kept glass of _kanar_.

_"I simply think that the entire premise leaves much to be desired."_ Garak shook his head, tsking. _"I will admit that the young Shahrazad was quite clever in her manipulations of the King, but the tales themselves are quite entangled in each other, are they not? Not nearly as well ordered as that of the repetitive epic."  
  
_ Julian scoffed, fiddling with a flower stuck in a vase on the coffee table. "Oh _please, that's the entire point! Shahrazad's goal is to keep Shahryar distracted so that he won't kill her. She weaves in her tales over the course of one thousand and one night, leaving him hooked."_

_"Well, if this King were so easily distracted, why not simply kill him herself?"_

_"That's a surprising sentiment to hear from you, Garak."_ Julian picked up the flower. _"You were decrying the lack of connection to the state in her tales. Now you abandon that same theme of 'loyalty to the state'? You could give Shahrazad a run for her money with your constant deflections."_

_"You are wholly mistaken, my dear, as you won't to do with that naive Federation mindset of yours."_

_"What does that have to do with any of this?"_ Julian pointed the flower at Garak in accusation. _"You've yet to remain consistent in your arguments, Garak. I'm beginning to think your work in espionage is coloring your opinion."  
  
"My word!"_ Garak let out a 'shocked' gasp. _"I am but a simple tailor!"_ He held his hand to his chest, scandalized. _"Nothing more, nothing less. How many times must I tell you this, doctor? That you should still believe in such ghastly rumors, why, I'm appalled."  
  
"Are you truly?" _Julian smiled, leaning in. _"You enjoy this, admit it."  
  
_ _"Presumptuous to the last, my dear doctor."_ Garak crept close as well, close enough to breathe in the air coming out of Julian's lips. _"Just because I take it upon myself to humor you does not mean I find this to be particularly stimulating."_ His eyes widened, face stretched with that same, disarming smile of his. _"For all you know, I could be distracting you, in much the same manner as Shahrazad with her King."  
  
_ _"Distraction or no... That doesn't mean you don't enjoy it, either."_ Julian leaned even closer, his hand slipping over Garak's own. His eyes became lidded, and warmth swept over his smile. _"Why else would you while away the hours with me?"  
  
_ The same warmth soon filled Garak's gaze. The love in the air grew even thicker, so thick that one could feel it's gentle caress.  
 _  
_ _"Why, indeed?"_  
  
At once, the two of them met with a kiss.

And the answer was plain to see.


End file.
